The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-13

but their opportunities forced him to say more
than he wished to Arthur. Doubtless this in |
creased the delicacy of his relations with the
President, till finally Arthur positively evaded
the company of his guest; and the visit terminal
ed with a less degree of cordality either side
than had existed at the beginning.
The change in their feelings, however, was |
not purely personal. 1t soon became evident
that Mr.. Arthur did not intend President to
hold the same relations he had once maintained.
not only with Grant and Conklng, but with the
wing of the party which they led. For this
change the other side. of course, appauded him,
but it was not to be supposed that the approba
ton could extend to those who thought them
selves deserted. What called impart:ality
by some seemed to others abandonment of prin-
clple; and when Arthur. the third term advocate.
called into his Cabinet William E. Chandler. the
man who had done most at Chicago to defeat the
third term. the climax was reached. Grants
disappointment at this selection greater be-
cause he had recommended his personal friend,
General Beale, for the place. But his recon-
mendations by this time had ceased to carry any
weight with the President
AS early as Feb l6, 1882 Grant wrote to me:
'To this time the President has seemed averse
to making any removals, no matter how offensive
the parties in place have been to him and his
friends. / hope this will not continue" On the
Odd of February, 1888 he wrote to me in regard
to the President He seems more afraid of his
enemies. and through this fear Influenced by
them, than guided either by his Judgment, per-
sonal feelings or friendly influences. hope he
will prove me wrong in this judgment"
The months went on, and the time for making
/ presidential nominations approached. On the
| Oath of December. 1883. Grant wrote to me: cit
| is now understood that there is no concealment
| of Mr. Arthur's candidacy. At this time no
other person turns up, so that unless there IS a
| change within the next sixty days he will be re-
| nominated without much opposition. | feel,
| however. that he will not get the nomination,
| although it is I'M possible to predict who may"
| On the 30th of March, 1884, he wrote: 1.-The
| President is now openly candidate for the
| nomination in June next and knows we'll
| that / am opposed to it." In the same
/ letter he said Judging from the past
doubt much whether any appointments will
/ be made until after the action Of the Chicago
convention in June is made. There are now
| many vacancies existing. some of which have
| existed for year and over. and among them
very important Offices for which no nominations
| have yet been sent t. the Senate-offices such as
judges of the United States courts for the States
/ and Territories, United States marshals, ETC.,
! which must cause great Inconvenience to the
public service and the States and Territories
| where these vacancies exist"
| On the 9Th of April in the same year he wrote
| to me from Washington: 1.-The administration
| has seemed to me to be sort of ad interim one.
| endeavoring to offend and to avoid positive
| action which would draw criticism. Probably
| the administration has fewer enemies outspoken
| than any preceding it. 1t has fewer positive
hearty friends than any except Hayess probably.
| But Arthur will probably 60 into the convention
second in the number of supporters, when he
! would not probably have single vote if it was
not for his army of officials and the vacancies he
has to FILL"
Arthur not nominated. and I cannot
recollect that Grant ever met him again. They
had. however. one other difference which in
| creased the bitterness Of Grants feeling In
1883 General Grant came to the conclusion that
| as President he had done Fitz John Porter a
wrong in not allowing him second trial; he ac
| cordingly set himself to studying the papers and
| after careful examination became convinced that
Porter was innocent of the charge of which he
heA hA1 ID So%A~ r1A
| do whatever he could to right the wrong he
thought he had helped to inf1ict His course is
well known. He risked the friendship of Logan
and incurred the disarproval of many OF his
closest political and military associates; but he
| persisted in what he had undertaken, and
| doubtless his efforts contributed largely to the
| reversal of Porters sentence. which was finally
accomplished. Then the effort was made to re-
store Porter to the army, and ill passed both
| houses of Congress, authorizing the President to
replace him in his former rank. Grant took the
livelest interest in this effort, writing in its ia
vor in the public press and addressing
the President in person the subject, we'll
as members OF the Cabinet But Arthur vetoed
the bill, on the ground that his dignity in
fringed by the action of Congress in designating
a person by name whom he was to appoint.
Grant was extremely disappointed and criti-
cised both the action and the motives of the
President with acerhity.
Soon after this followed Grants financial dis
asters, and a bill was introduced in Congress to
restore him to his former rank in the army; but
Mr.. Arthur made it known that he should op-
pose the measure on the same grounds those
on which he had vetoed the bill restoring Fitz
John Porter General Grant WAS much incensed
at this action the part of the President; he
said that he had not been court-martialed. and
his remarks upon the dignity that Arthur was
SO anxious to protect were not complimentary
to the chief magistrate Nevertheless, Arthur
| had no desire to prevent Grants restoration to
the army of which be had so long been the head;
be simply was more anxious to preserve his own
consistency than to relieve the modification or
retrieve the misfortunes of the dying hero.
After long wrangle and delay of months,
Congress and the President came to terms and
a bill passed which gave Arthur the right to
name whom he chose for the position of retired
general of the army. This was signed by the
President in the last hours of the expiring Con-
, gress, and the nomination of Grant the clos
ing act of Arthurs official existence: but it came
too late to relieve the anxieties Of the suffering
soldier, and it was so long deferred that the
! new commission of Grant was signed by Cleve-
land.
Arthur and Cleveland both attended the fun
eral of their great predecessor: and AS in sc
many instances Grant had followed to the tomb
, those whom he had opposed IN life, it now
his turn to be borne before the soldiers he had
conquered and the politicians whose principle.
he had contested, or whose career he had disap
proved. ADAM BADEAU.
A Cobbler Talks About Shoes.
Pittsburg Dispatch.